Vriecantarea plant named ‘Julietta’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Vriecantarea plant named ‘Julietta’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; glossy dark purple and green-colored leaves; and good interiorscape performance with plants maintaining good leaf color for about six months under moderate light levels.

Botanical designation: Vriecantarea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JULIETTA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofVriecantarea plant, botanically known as Vriecantarea hybrida,previously known as (Alcantarea imperialis×Vriesea polemanii)×Alcantareavinacolor, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Julietta’.

The new Vriecantarea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Hilo, Hawaii. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Vriecantarea plants with uniquely coloredleaves and good interiorscape performance.

The new Vriecantarea plant originated from a self-pollination made bythe Inventor in 2009 in Hilo, Hi. of Vriecantarea hybrida ‘Volcano'sMist’, not patented. The new Vriecantarea plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of thestated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hilo,Hi. in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Vriecantarea plant by offsets andmicro-propagation in a controlled environment in Hilo, Hi. since 2011has shown that the unique features of this new Vriecantarea plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Vriecantarea have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Julietta’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Julietta’ as a new and distinct Vriecantareaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.    -   2. Glossy dark purple and green-colored leaves.    -   3. Good interiorscape performance with plants maintaining good        leaf color for about six months under moderate light levels.

Plants of the new Vriecantarea differ primarily from plants of theparent, ‘Volcano's Mist’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Vriecantarea are more        intensely-colored than leaves of plants of ‘Volcano's Mist’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Vriecantarea have a thicker waxy        cuticle than leaves of plants of ‘Volcano's Mist’.

Plants of the new Vriecantarea can be compared to plants of unnamedselections of Alcantarea imperialis known to the Inventor, not patented.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hilo, Hi., plants of the newVriecantarea and the unnamed selections of Alcantarea imperialisdiffered primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Vriecantarea were more        intensely-colored than leaves of plants of the unnamed        selections of Alcantarea imperialis.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Vriecantarea had a thicker waxy        cuticle than leaves of plants of the unnamed selections of        Alcantarea imperialis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Vriecantarea plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Vriecantarea plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view ofa typical plant of ‘Julietta’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Julietta’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 15.25-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Hilo, Hi. and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Vriecantarea production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C.,night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 25° C. and light levelsaveraged 18,000 foot-candles. Plants were six months old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Vriecantarea hybrida ‘Julietta’.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of Vriecantarea hybrida ‘Volcano's    Mist’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By offsets and by micro-propagation.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at 27° C.            soil temperatures and 29° C. air temperatures.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one month at 21° C.            soil temperatures and 27° C. air temperatures.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            months at 27° C. soil temperatures and 29° C. air            temperatures.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 100 days            at 21° C. soil temperatures and 27° C. air temperatures.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching growth            habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming            outwardly arching with development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38 cm; with subsequent development,            plants achieve a plant height of about 125 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm; with subsequent            development, plants achieve a diameter of about 200 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 5 mm.        -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Stem color.—Close to 155C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,            leaf bases sheathing and clasping the stem.        -   Length.—About 30 cm to 32 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery, tough; relatively thick waxy cuticle or “bloom”,            thicker on upper surface.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Youngest leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B to 146C; towards the apex, tinted with close to N186C.            Basal leaves, upper surface: Mid-section to apex, close to            137A; towards the base, close to 183A to 183B. Basal leaves,            lower surface: Towards the apex, close to 147B with random            flecking close to 187B; mid-section and towards the base,            close to N186A to N186B. Upper leaves, upper surface: Close            to N186C; venation, close to N186C. Upper leaves, lower            surface: Close to 187A; venation, close to 187A.-   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence initiation and development    have not been observed on plants of the new Vriecantarea.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Vriecantarea have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4.4° C. to    about 46° C.-   Interior performance: Plants of the new Vriecantarea have been    observed to have good postproduction longevity and maintain good    leaf coloration under moderate light for about six months under    interior conditions.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Vriecantarea have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Vriecantarea plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Vriecantarea plant named ‘Julietta’as illustrated and described.